Green roof blocks

ABSTRACT

Green Roof Blocks is a completely unique approach to covering the surface of roof tops with vegetation. The strategy of using self contained, durable 22 gauge galvalume sheet metal material containers, which can be easily installed and moved, differs from anything currently available in the market place. Much heavier plastic or polypropylene containers are currently on the market with limited success. My product requires no machinery to lift, nor any particular training to install. The use of rubber composite walk pad material as resting pads assures roofing system compatibility and warranty integrity. Thus no additional materials are required to separate the container from the roofing system. In fact, the walk pad material can be procured from different roofing system manufacturers allowing the roofing system manufacturer to provide a material acceptable to come in contact with the roofing material. This ease of use, choice of material and configuration, and system compatibility is unique to my invention.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

There are no Cross References to Related Applications to declare.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This invention is not the subject of Federally Funded Research orDevelopment, and has not received any federal funding.

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTINGCOMPACT DISK APPENDIX

This Non provisional Utility Patent Application contains no SequenceListing, Table, or Computer Program Listing Compact Disk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Green roofs, roof gardens, eco-roofs all refer to the planting ofvegetation on the roof surface of building structures. The principle ofgreen roofs has been widely used in Europe for several decades. Roof topvegetation substantially reduces storm water run off, solar heat gain,and thermal transfer through the roof. In addition, large vegetatedsurfaces help to replenish oxygen through photosynthesis. Though thebenefits are many, the typical green roofs costs are several times thatof most roofing systems. The high price of typical green roofconstruction emanates from costly waterproofing procedures, extensivedrainage layers, soil of depths ranging from eight inches to twenty fourinches, and additional required structural construction to supportresulting increased weight. Repairs to the roofing membrane areextremely expensive due to the large quantities of material that must bemoved to access the waterproofing layer. Soil based plant disease canquickly spread throughout the system requiring the complete replacementof the vegetation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Green Roof Blocks are sedum kamtschaticum plants housed in 24 inchsquare, self contained units. The containers can easily be placed on theroof providing quick and inexpensive installation of green roofvegetation. The system weight is between 12 and 18 pounds per squarefoot, well within the dead load capacity of most building roofstructure. Each unit weighs between 50 and 75 pounds, depending on thelevel of water saturation, which can be easily moved to access the roofmembrane for repair. In the event of soil based plant disease,contamination is contained within the unit allowing for the replacementof only the effected units. This simple roof greening methodology can beused in conjunction with typical roofing systems, on typical buildingstructure, allowing building owners to realize the benefits and costsavings of a green roof for a fraction of the cost of typical green roofconstruction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention, Green Roof Blocks, is constructed in a completelyoriginal manner, using unique materials for the container and thegrowing medium. Green Roof Blocks are a self contained roof greeningproduct made from the following components; organic soils, mineralparticulate, Sedum Kamtschaticum plants, 22 gauge galvalume sheet metal,stainless steel screws, rubber composite roofing walk pad material. AContainer constructed of 22 gauge galvalume sheet metal sized 24 inchesby 24 inches and 4 inches in depth, is filled with 80% mineral (haydite)and 20% organic growing medium, and four sedum kamtschaticum seedlingsare planted six inches from each side. The box construction isfabricated from flat sheet metal material cut from a 35.5 inch squaresection. Though the product is prepared for fabrication utilizing acustom machined punch press to cut the desired shape, the followingprocedure can be used to cut the material by hand using a pair ofquality tin snips. Lines at one inch, one and three quarter inches, andfive and three quarter inches are etched from all four edges.

The four corners are cut off at a 45 degree angle starting at six andthree quarter inches from each corner. One side of the line etched atfive and three quarter inches is cut to the perpendicular intersectionof the adjacent line etched at five and three quarter inches. This stepis repeated on one line only for all four sides. A one inch tab isetched along the side of the five and three quarter inch line that wasnot previously cut in the prior step. This tab extends from theintersection of the five and three quarter inches lines to the one andthree quarter inches line. The short ends of the tabs are trimmed at anangle to the intersection of the five and three quarter inches lines andto the intersection of the five and three quarter inches lines and theone and three quarter inches lines. Four final three quarter inch longcuts are made along the five and three quarter inches lines to theangled tab cut made in the previous step. The container is now ready forbending on a sheet metal box forming brake. Beginning at each outeretched line, bends are made as follows. The one inch line is bent toninety degrees, the one and three quarter inch line is bent in theopposite direction to the capacity of the brake. This bend is thensqueezed in the clamping head of the brake to form 180 degree fold.These steps are repeated for all four sides. The bends along the fiveand three quarter inches lines are then formed to 90 degrees in thedirection of the one and three quarter inch bend. These four bends formthe sides of the container. The one inch tabs are then folded aroundeach corner and fastened using two one inch self tapping stainless steelscrews. Three, one eighth inch diameter drainage holes, one at each endand one in the center, are then drilled along the bottom of each sidejust above the bend. Five inch by five inch sections of rubber compositeroofing walk pad are the fastened to the bottom of the container. Onepad is positioned at each corner extending beyond the container sidesone half inch on the outer edges. A fifth pad is positioned in thecenter of the container. The pads are fastened with the dimples facingdownward using four one inch, self tapping, stainless steel screws perpad. The screws are positioned between dimples and counter sunk into thewalk pad material. The growing medium is then filled to a depth of threeand one half inches and the seedlings are planted burying the roots andcovering the stem by one inch.

List of Drawings of my invention: Green Roof Blocks

Page 1 Isometric View

Page 2 Cross Section

Page 3 Plan View of the Completed Product

Page 4 Plan View of the Sheet Metal Pattern Layout

Page 5 Photo of Completed Green Roof Blocks Product

Page 6 Photo of Plant Species To Be Planted In Completed Product

1. What I claim as my invention is the fabrication of a sheet metalcontainer with roofing system compatible pads on the bottom and plantedwith drought resistant vegetation to be used for the purpose ofeconomically covering roofs with vegetation.
 2. I further claim that theuse of 22 gauge galvalume sheet metal for the container of modular roofgreening products to be unique to my invention:
 3. Additionally, I claimthe sheet metal configuration of my invention to have novelfunctionality not present in any available product.
 4. In conclusion, Iclaim that the use of roofing system specific walk pad material,procured from various manufactures, as the material the container restson that comes in physical contact with the roofing system, affords roofsystem compatibility and warranty integrity unique to my invention.